Let’s Get Things Straight

There have been some new developments following the news story about a 12-year-old epilepsy patient who had his CBD oil confiscated at Heathrow airport. In light of the outcome of the investigation that followed, medical cannabis will now be prescribed under “extreme circumstances” in the UK. This is raising a lot of questions about CBD, hemp, cannabis and marajuana which, we need to get straightened out. So let’s bust some myths and take a look at the facts around CBD.

Fact – CBD is a type of cannabinoid

Ok, so let’s get the complicated, science bit out of the way first. CBD, otherwise known as Cannabidiol, is one of over 100 compounds in the cannabis plant called Cannabinoids. The other, currently more researched compound is THC, the bit that is more renown for getting people “high”. What makes CBD particularly interesting (and legal) is that it doesn’t have the same intoxicating effect, but has been found to be anti-inflammatory, reduce seizures in cases of epilepsy, help with anxiety, and treat chronic pain. It is mostly consumed in oils, extracts and crystals.

Myth – CBD is good, THC is bad

Because CBD doesn’t create a high, it’s been labelled ‘the good’ cannabinoid and THC the ‘bad’. But in countries where medical cannabis is legal, THC can be prescribed for cancer patients going through chemo as it eases nausea and improves appetite. Preclinical studies also indicate that THC kills certain types of cancer cells. But interestingly, if you combine both cannabinoids together, CBD actually reduces the psychoactive effect of THC.

Fact – CBD interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system

So, you may not know it, but everything from sea squirts to humans have an endocannabinoid system – a vast network of receptors and cannabis-like chemicals (endocannabinoids) that regulates vital functions such as sleep, appetite, mood, memory, inflammation and reproduction. Sometimes this system can become depleted and scientists believe this may contribute to certain illnesses. Research shows that taking CBD creates higher levels of our own endocannabinoids, helping the body to restore balance again.

Fact (ish) – CBD is now classified as a medicine

In the UK it has been possible to buy CBD as a nutritional supplement for a while now. But in October 2016, the Medical Healthcare Regulatory Agency decided to recognise CBD’s therapeutic benefits and reclassify it as medicine. In effect this means that at some point in the future, CBD may have to go through the same rigorous, double blind, placebo trials as other medicines. However, in the meantime while it is under review, CBD can still be bought as a nutritional supplement, but this may change in the future.

Myth – if CBD is so good, why not just make a synthetic version?

Good question. After all that’s what’s been done with aspirin and morphine right? The thing is that in the case of cannabis, scientists have found that there is a kind of synergy between all the active compounds, so that the whole is greater than the sum of all the parts. It’s been called the entourage effect. But using the whole plant is of little interest to pharmaceutical companies who prefer single compounds or synthetic versions that can be patented.

Fact – CBD in the UK comes from hemp

You may be wondering about the difference between hemp and cannabis. Basically they are one and the same. Cannabis is the family of plant in which hemp and marajuana are siblings. Hemp contains next to no levels of THC (less than 0.2%), but is abundant in CBD and marajuana’s make up is opposite – high in THC and low in CBD.

Find out more…

So there you have it. Myths busted! Now head over to our ‘What is Hemp & CBD‘ page to find lots of helpful studies and videos made by real doctors on the subject. Check out our ‘Beginner’s Guide to CBD‘ too.

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